Almost a Night in the Castle

Calypso · Post by **Calypso** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 10:15 am

One of my best friends called me the other night to share this story: while at WDW at the start of the new year, his wife was in line to get a FP for Peter Pan. She was standing behind an older woman and her grandson and, sure enough, the dream team walked up to the older woman and gave her the night in the Castle! My best friend was beside himself because if his wife had only been a little faster to get to the FP. . .

Anyone have a similar experience?

FlyingMouse · Post by **FlyingMouse** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 10:20 am

Bummer!

That would almost be like standing next to me with a winning lottery ticket in your hand. Because once you become conscious again, and pick yourself up off the ground, you'll be wondering "hey, wasn't I just holding a lottery ticket?".

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 10:27 am

AAAHHH that is so painful! I didn't see anyone get anything when I was down (twice) this year so i was starting to believe it wasn't real!

I am so glad this didn't happen to me I would have serious anger/frustration issues! I know, I know very undisneylike!!!

dyemooch · Post by **dyemooch** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 12:07 pm

Aw, that's both a bummer and great; great for the older lady, but that's gotta be a bummer for your friend. : \
Nothing like that's happened to me; I'm not qualified to win any prizes from them since my brother works for Disney, haha XD!
But still- I hope that your friend and his wife still had a great time(and hopefully they'll win a night in the castle at some time!)

Calypso · Post by **Calypso** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 12:56 pm

He and his family did have a great time. They are almost-Disney experts.

Cheshire Cat · Post by **Cheshire Cat** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 3:32 pm

That's a bummer. But every story has two sides and for that family it was probably a really memorable vaction. I thought for bigger prizes like the night in the castle, they were going to give out envelopes and you wouldn't know what you got until you redeemed it at City Hall... Maybe they're doing it differently this year?

We had a similar experience though not on as grand a scale. We were on Living with the Land and at the end of the ride, just before the boats unloaded, the Dream Squad(?) came over an announced that the entire boat that was about to unload in front of us would be getting dream fastpasses. So the poeple on our boat just sort of sat there and watched everyone on the boat collect their fastpasses before we clear to move forward into the unload area. There were some people giving congratulations from our boat, some people cursing, I just let out a simple, "oh well, bummer". The dream squad was getting ready to leave, and as our boat pulled into the unload area, they either wanted to make an apologetic gesture for making us wait to long while the boat in front of us unloaded, or it was still a legit time frame to continue giving out the passes. For whatever reason they told us our boat could have fastpasses too.

People were getting so upset about almost missing out on the dream fastpasses though, it's only a matter of time before someone "almost" gets the castle and does something drastic about it. I have mixed feelings about the year of a million dreams. It gives people really memorable moments or really depressing moments. For some families it will be "the vacation that they got to spend the night in the castle" for other it will be "the vacation where they almost got a night in the castle". The YoaMD really takes away from all the regular magic that has been going on in the parks for years.

SWHorn · Post by **SWHorn** » Jan Fri 18, 2008 4:12 pm

Cheshire Cat wrote:The YoaMD really takes away from all the regular magic that has been going on in the parks for years.

I tend to agree. Even though I didn't win anything, I had, as always, great times at WDW.

I spent 40 days on three trips to WDW last year, and I never even sniffed at a dream. I didn't cry myself to sleep at night, but it will be nice when The World goes back to normal...or at least moves on to the next celebration.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Jan Sat 19, 2008 5:09 am

Ack. I would have been heartbroken to be in line behind that woman (selfish, I know, but it's true).

We were lucky enough to get dream fastpasses on Star Tours (the whole 'car' did). I have to admit, knowing that the potential existed for winning something kind of hung over the trip until that happened. I know it's not something you can expect to happen, but at the same time I think we would have been disappointed if we'd left without getting chosen. It was a weird vibe.

I have a feeling that YoaMD works better for people -not- like us (you know, us being the Disney-forum-posting-people) who have no idea the event is even going on. They don't have any reason to look forward to anything out of the ordinary, so they get a nice surprise rather than the pseudo-tension of trying/hoping to get picked.

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Jan Sat 19, 2008 4:33 pm

You've all hit on what I dislike most about this Year of a Million Dreams promotion. It makes those of us who have seen people win feel at least a little down that we weren't chosen. I haven't seen anything like the Castle giveaway though!

Maybe they really should make it the Year of a Bazillion Churros (that's what my boyfriend keeps insiting it should be). That way everyone would be happy when they all get free churros!

SWHorn · Post by **SWHorn** » Jan Mon 21, 2008 1:13 pm

Esmeralda wrote:Maybe they really should make it the Year of a Bazillion Churros (that's what my boyfriend keeps insiting it should be). That way everyone would be happy when they all get free churros!

Haha! That would have been much better than the nothing that I got.

mousemaniacs · Post by **mousemaniacs** » Jan Mon 21, 2008 9:28 pm

Last summer, we were excited as we got off Small World, because we saw the dream team handing out something. A golden fast pass maybe? Try a lanyard with a pin. Yippie.

Calypso · Post by **Calypso** » Jan Tue 22, 2008 8:35 am

I ran into a dream-whatevers while at MGM BEFORE they were officially working. I had a question about the construction work going on and we chatted for a bit. They were very nice, but not giving anything out because they weren't of the clock yet!!!

GarbNJ · Post by **GarbNJ** » Jan Thu 24, 2008 2:30 pm

Cheshire Cat wrote:I have mixed feelings about the year of a million dreams. It gives people really memorable moments or really depressing moments. For some families it will be "the vacation that they got to spend the night in the castle" for other it will be "the vacation where they almost got a night in the castle". The YoaMD really takes away from all the regular magic that has been going on in the parks for years.

I feel the same way. I was really disheartened when they extended the dates for the YOMD. And now all those lanyards and ears and pins are showing up on eBay. What a shame!

And anyway, the Castle Suite has a square toilet... so there! Neener neener!

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Jan Thu 24, 2008 11:25 pm

GarbNJ wrote:And anyway, the Castle Suite has a square toilet... so there! Neener neener!

Does it really? Geesh; taking authenticity to uncomfortable new levels. Though I suppose if the really wanted to take it to the nth level, they could have had the square toilet empty out into the sludge river that runs through the path in Liberty Square.

stinoi · Post by **stinoi** » Feb Sun 03, 2008 1:53 pm

While I think it would be neat to be inside the Castle, I agree that the celebration detracts from the vacation experience.